I really enjoyed Code Blues. A bit surreal reading and picturing the areas of [our hospital] that had influenced things….I wished that the oven mitts as obstetric stirrups had made it in, but one can’t have everything, I suppose. Maybe that was only my exam room….

In mine, they were oven mitts. Mismatched oven mitts. With no light, so you had to use one of those sproingy desk lamps things to case into the mysterious cavern. When I started practice and had an actual light on my speculum, it was a true revelation when I could actually SEE the cervix.

I don’t remember any oven mitts in my exam room.

But I remember plenty of grotty details I’ve seen before and since! Would you like to share yours?

Post your detail in the comments section at Olo Books by midnight on October 31st to win!

If you want to be anonymous, Tweet me your entry at dr_sassy and I’ll strip your ID before I post it.

If you post here or on Facebook instead, that’s fine, as long as you know that I will amalgamate all details on this page of the Olo Books website.

No purchase necessary.

Anyone aged 18 & over may enter to win.

Second & Third Prize: your detail will be included in one of my upcoming essays/stories. In other words, everlasting literary fame and fortune.

First Prize: not only will your detail will be included in one of my essays/stories, but you have the right to name a character after yourself or someone else (slander excluded). So, even more fame and fortune. And…a free e-copy of Code Blues! If you already had the good taste to buy Code Blues, you may substitute a free e-book of your choice from Olo Books.

Just in case you were wondering, the sequel is called Notorious D.O.C. both because Hope has already become a notorious doctor and also as a reference to Notorious C.H.O., Margaret Cho’s hilarious tour, who was of course riffing on Notorious B.I.G.